Physical/Mobility
Disabilities
(Click on headings)
GENERAL
DISCUSSION
THE INTERNET
COLLEGE CALL
CHECKLIST
GENERAL
DISCUSSION
A
physical disability often brings to mind the images to the general public us of
wheelchairs, crutches, canes or walkers. These disabilities also include limited
or no use of arms and hands. There is so much more – there are people
involved.
Look
to people to help you negotiate your new college campus home. The technology is
available to help you, if needed, to turn on televisions, computers and open
doors. But you’ll need to ask.
If
you are a professor, you need to keep in mind that pop quizzes and unscheduled
in-class writing assignments may require assistance for a student with limited,
or no, use of his/her hands:
Tape recorders, note takers, laptops
Oral presentations vs. traditional written
reports
Oral exams
Classroom accessibility
Overhead or board material – available in
handout formats
Help with finding note takers
Sometimes necessary student-assist technologies
break down
Professors
and classes need to keep in mind if a student is tardy or missing from class
these delays may be due to customized vehicles breaking down, blocked special
parking places, blocked walkways, dealing with inclement weather obstacles
(slick services due to rain, snow and ice). Also be sensitive to furniture
placement in a room for a student who is using any form of mobility assist
devices. Keep in mind that trained
service animals should be welcome in college with the student, but these animals
are workers rather than pets. When scheduling on-campus activities outside of
the normal classroom or for off-campus components of a class, consider physical
access issues ahead of time for your students. Consult the Campus Disability
Office for any assistance you require in supporting the student(s) in your
courses.
If
you are a fellow student, professor or staff member working with a student with
a physical/mobility disability, please keep in mind:
When
you are working with a person in a wheel chair, sit at eye level so he/she
doesn’t have to constantly strain his/her neck to speak with you.
Always
keep in mind that there is a person that exists beyond the disability in that
wheel chair, so speak directly to the person and take that person into
consideration in work and play.
Always
ask a person with a disability if he/she needs help – don’t assume. Wait
for an answer and instructions.
Be
patient and have consideration of the extra time it may take for a person to
cover a distance or express a thought.
Treat
a person with a disability with the same respect you yourself want to be
treated.
Keep
designated ramps, curb cuts, automatic doors and parking spaces clear.
THE
INTERNET
American
Amputee Foundation
American
Canoe Association
(adaptive paddling committee)
American
Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
www.aota.org
American
Paralysis Association
American
Physical Therapy Association
www.apta.org
American
Service Dogs Association
Brain
Injury Association
Brain
Trauma Foundation
www.braintrauma.org
Creative
Solutions for the Disabled
(314)351-1417
Disabled
Ski Program
International
Polio Network
(Gazette
International Networking Institute)
www.post/polio.org
March
of Dimes
Mobility
International, USA
www.miusa.org
Muscular
Dystrophy Association
www.mda.org
National
Easter Seals Society
www.easter-seals.org
National
Multiple Sclerosis Society
www.nmss.org
National
Spinal Cord Injury Association
www.spinalcord.org
National
Spinal Cord Injury Hotline
www.scihotline.org
Paralyzed
Veterans of America
www.pra.org
The
Perspectives Network
Paraquad
www.paraquad.org
Short
Stature Foundation
www.lpaonline.org
Spinal
Cord Society
Spinal
Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Support
Dogs
TASH:
The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps
Traumatic
Brain Injury Page
United
Cerebral Palsy
www.ucpa.org
US
Open Tennis–
US
Special Olympics
Basketball
Tennis
Variety
Clubs
Wheel Chair Athletics
COLLEGE
CALL CHECKLIST
PHYSICAL
DISABILITIES:
What
is the department or office to assist students with disabilities?
Are
there support groups available on campus?
In
what ways is the campus handicapped accessible?
When
you visit the campus, can you get from the commonly used academic buildings
within the time normally allotted between classes?
If
you have to cross any streets with stoplights and automatic “walk/do not
walk” signs, are the signs set with a long enough time interval that will
allow you to safely get across the street?
Are
dorms truly serviceable for someone in a wheelchair including common rooms such as the study lounge and kitchen?
Are
the bathrooms in the dorm truly serviceable for someone in a wheelchair?
Are
the dorms wired to support any equipment you use?
Can
you get into all of the buildings on our own -- open doors for example?
Are
classrooms for courses you will take in buildings that are fully
accessible, not only into first
floor doorways, but have methods to
realistically reach upper
floors?
If
there are elevators involved in your college daily life, do they operate with
keys? If so, how do you obtain them, etc.?
Are
labs adaptable to limitations -- For example, are lab tables available for wheel
chair width and height?
Are
there any buildings that are not accessible to you?
What
are the sports facilities that are available for me to use?
If
I am using my own car/van, are there special parking places close to the
buildings I
need to access – including dorm, academic and social?
If
you use a Support Dog, what are the provisions for your dog on campus
and in
the dorms?
If
you need a Personal Care Assistant, how is recruiting, hiring and training and
payment of personnel handled?
If
your mechanical equipment (wheel chair, walker, special computer, etc.) breaks
down, where can you get it fixed, is there equipment available to use while
yours is being fixed, and how fast can the repairs be made?
What
type of documentation is needed for admission with accommodations made for your
physical disability?
Note
takers available?
Alternative
test situations allowed for admissions tests?
Are
accommodations made for tests and exams as a student on campus?
Individually proctored?
Untimed or extended time?
Reader available
Scribe available
Computer available
Are
there waivers for courses for degree requirements?
Transportation
issues on campus?
Are on-campus student transportation vans/buses wheel
chair
accessible?
Is off-campus transportation normally used by
students:
Wheel chair accessible?
Regularly available?
See Chapter 8 for more information and
instructions.
Click here for more information
© 2003 [Wildwood Country Press]. All rights reserved.
© 2000 [McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.]. All rights reserved.
Revised: September 12, 2003
.